Day 22 – April 30^th

William and I salute the raising of the flag

No breakfast today, up late after three days of music and heat.

We headed down to Café Maspero on Decatur for lunch at 12:30. I ordered up a serve of Cajun White Beans and Southern Fried Fish. Very tasty. The weather is also fine again.

I then spent most of the day trying to catch up on my blog posts. Glad I write things down as I would have no hope of remembering what we did one day ago yet along three.

At 5 o’clock William and Mickey waited on the stoop for a guy to come and put up a flag. We have given William a Boxing Kangaroo flag that Bernie had brought over. William was taking down the Costa Rican flag to put ours up. I said to William laughingly that the flag may attract undesirables!

At 5:30 we headed to Frenchman and the Louisiana Music Factory for a live in-house performance with Johnny Sansone and his band. Johnny was able to play the whole of his new release ‘Homeland’. Fantastic sound and the new album is a must-have.We got a WOW and Johnny photo out front of the shop when he had finished.

We then headed down to the Spotted Cat for a few beers and to listen in to the Jazz Band.

We tried to get a table for eight at the Praline Connection for some down-home soul-food. The front of house staff was unfriendly and in no way helpful.

No matter. We moved on to BB King’s Club and after a few attempts by Alan to rearrange the furniture we settled in for a not too bad meal.

I had to take the crew down to Bourbon to have at least one beer at the famous Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmith shop. On the way over I did my best impersonation of a Ghost Tour leader by giving the crew the history of the old Ursuline Convent and the LaLaurie Mansion. Sadly, I was not tipped for my efforts. Stingy Aussie tourist their all the same.

https://gonola.com/things-to-do-in-new-orleans/casket-girls-of-new-orleans

https://www.prairieghosts.com/lalaurie.html

We had a bit of a walk further down Bourbon Street so the crew could get an idea of the nighttime debauchery. It is a Monday night and there are a few around but nothing like the weekends.

The crew headed back to our apartment with the plan of calling an Uber. Al decided to get a six-pack and a bottle of red from the Quarter Master. Ian, Al and I sat out on the stoop with a drink. I told the guys that all sorts of people will stop and talk to us. The first well-dressed guy asked us if we had any weed for sale. Must be my long hair. Then a young rough sleeper from Seattle wanted directions to Bourbon St. We told him he was already on it and pointed him down to the bars. Next, a group of young males came walking by. One of them spotted the kangaroo flag and wanted to know if ‘us bastards’ were from Australia. He was from Echuca and seemed delighted to see our flag. Took us a while to get rid of him. I told William early that this might happen.

The crew got an Uber around 11:45.